Dave does Watford & Millwall.

Dave Thornley writing on behalf of Clarets Mad covers another week in Burnley’s unquenchable thirst and desire to return to the English Premier League.

In any walk of life, there comes a point where, in a long run of consistent success achieved with apparent ease, confidence and swagger gives way to complacency and arrogance.

Football teams are no exception to this phenomenon; indeed, they provide perhaps the most vivid examples of it.

Burnley completed a run of ten consecutive league victories just over a week ago when they turned on the style to emphatically defeat Preston. But a few days later, at Turf Moor, they came up against a Watford team dressed to resemble Juventus (or maybe Notts County) and determined not to roll over before their hosts.

They were gifted a goal after half an hour. Aro Muric, so brilliant against Preston, was guilty of a miscued clearance, which sent his defensive colleagues into panic stations and allowed Watford’s Joao Pedro to tap the ball in from close range.

Thereafter the Clarets struggled. It’s not that they played badly exactly, more that in comparison to the previous Saturday, and many of the games preceding it, Burnley were just a tad out of synch; too many forward runs not picked out, too many misplaced passes and too many 50 / 50 challenges lost. And when Jordan Bayer was forced to limp off and Muric was substituted by Bailey Peacock-Farrell at half time, the signs looked ominous.

Watford employed every tactic they knew to maintain their lead, some worthy (goalkeeper Bachmann was particularly impressive), some dubious and some downright nefarious (I’m particularly looking at you, Mr Hoedt!)

As the game stretched into prolonged stoppage time, the last roll of the dice saw Peacock-Farrell advance into the Watford penalty area as Burnley prepared to take what was certainly their last corner kick of the match. His presence caused sufficient disruption for Watford to fail to clear; a scramble ensued, Nathan Tella hit both post and goalkeeper as he attempted to score, then the loose ball fell to Michael Obafemi who stabbed in the equaliser and set off scenes of joy and relief around Turf Moor.

This performance was always going to happen at some point, perhaps it needed to happen to act as a check on the complacency I previously alluded to. It would do no long-term damage to the Clarets, as the events of yesterday would demonstrate.

The televised lunchtime kick-off between Millwall and second-placed Sheffield United saw the Blades lose a thrilling match in stoppage time. Later, Burnley rolled up at Kenilworth Road and defeated a Luton team who began the day in fourth place, courtesy of a second half Ashley Barnes penalty.

Once again Burnley were not quite at their best, but good teams find a way and the route to this victory was paved by a strong defensive performance at the heart of which was the restored Aro Muric, who pulled off several good saves in a tight first half.

The decisive goal was a result of a brilliant piece of skill from Vitinho, whose control, turn and flick-on was parried by the outstretched arm of a Luton defender. It was all too much for Hatters’ skipper Tom Lockyer, whose complaints earned him not one, but two yellow cards and first dibs at the post- match bath.

Barnes would not be distracted by such shenanigans and tucked the spot kick away with aplomb, to complete a win of huge significance, one which opened a gap of eleven points to second place and fif**** points to third.

Some tough tests remain to be navigated for Kompany’s Clarets, not least Tuesday night’s visit to the Isle of Dogs and the Lions’ Den of Millwall who will be exuberantly buoyant after yesterday’s win against the blunted Blades, but it is hard to imagine any other scenario than that of Burnley completing the season as Champions of the English Football League.

Editor’s note: Great stuff Dave as usual, I must mention that I’m lucky enough to have grabbed three tickets for myself, my Clarets Mad wife and Burnley FC fanatic in the making my 7-year-old grandson. He has yet to witness a Burnley defeat, I hope the Lions do not spoil his evening. (TEC).

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As usual, a good report, however, it was Foster, not Tella, who managed not to score from the corner but Obafemi rescued the situation, in spite of it hitting his shin.